A Different Kind Of Love
by Charis Nova-Neko
Summary: Prince Siegfried reminisces on the story's happy ending, and the duck responsible for it. Based on the writing prompt "Core of the Crisis" from [Twelve Shots of Summer: Second Raid] - much liberty was taken with interpretation of the prompt.


**A/N: All characters are (c) Ikukoh Itoh. Enjoy!**

 _Did she care for me?_

The once-false princess clings to me as my arm holds her steady in place. She has traded an ink-black feathery tutu for the grey simplicity of her school uniform, but her loosed hair is still ebony as the Raven I hunt. The same Raven that imprisoned her, imprisoned us, with lies and trickery. The Raven we now seek to slaughter. And the deep red eyes are a reminder that she's even sacrificed blood to be with me here, at the very end - never even considering the idea that she ought to stop loving, just to save us both pain.

True love conquers all.

But it wasn't just our love, was it?

I remember another tutu, snow-white, and all the grace of a swan, all the grace that my beloved strives for when she dances. I remember the gentility of a voice that requested a single dance in response to pain. I remember waking up, over and over again, each time to the glow of red that reminds me so much of my sweetheart's eyes.

Were they my sweetheart's eyes?

No... they were blue. Blue as a clear sky. Blue as a cool lake. Blue as honesty, as fidelity, and their bearer reached out with all of these qualities. Even as she restored my heart, she reached out with hers.

 _At what cost? For what reason?_

 _...She was only a duck._

And I shake my head at the cruel thought - she was much more. Just as the one in my arms now has always been more than the Daughter of the Raven. But the questions nag at me, even as the heart of my enemy shatters over us, destroyed by my sword once and for all.

Is this raven-haired girl truly the one I should be holding so dearly?

* * *

The town is returning to normal - the story is ending.

And the little not-puppet has found something.

In the clock tower, we find the source of the story that never ended, the story finally ended by the boy that was once meant to be my knight, and was now an author of my story. The sharp sound of breaking wood puts a stop to the writing contraption for good.

But all of us are curious. What words were used to capture our story?

We pore over the book. I don't know all the steps of this dance. I am reintroduced to myself, and to the knight, and to the Raven Princess, and to the Duck that saved us all. I can barely share a glance with the creature for more than a few seconds. Those blue eyes are guileless and familiar to me.

Has she always looked at me like that?

Rue is tender with the little yellow ball of feathers, as if she's found someone she lost long ago. Perhaps Ahiru - or Tutu - or even this little duck in her hands - or maybe all three, maybe they remind Rue of someone she once was, someone she was supposed to be before the Raven sank his talons into her. The duck, even without the graceful dance of Tutu or the astuteness of Ahiru, is still gentle and warm, nuzzling against the tear-stained cheek that Rue presents to her.

... ...Ah, so that's it.

The way she looks at me. And the way she looks at Rue. It's the same, but not the same. It's tender and caring, and full of the warmth of Tutu's extended hand. It's a different kind of love. One that's not meant to be kept away in an ivory tower or chained in gold or wrapped in silk. It should be as free as a bird, able to soar.

I remember two things simultaneously: the first time I saw that glow of red, as described in that terrible book - the moment I received the first piece of my heart. And the final time I saw Tutu's gaze, as she handed over the final piece of my heart and relinquished herself, becoming no more than a duck again.

And I understand in that moment - we all love her. This little duck, with the single wish of closing the book on our terrible fates with a happy ending, has given us all a piece of her own heart, and stolen away one of our own. I couldn't keep her if I wanted to. I could never keep her away from this place - the town, the lake, the people, the animals. She loved it all. Just as she loved me.

And I cannot keep her from it.

But I can keep a piece of her. So can Rue. And together, we can keep fond memories and our love for the duck that may as well have sacrificed her own heart to save ours.

* * *

Fakir has written a letter to me. How he managed to cross such a border between stories and reality must be part of his inherited talent from Drosselmeyer - I doubt I'll be able to send one back. I plan to share the letter with Rue, but for now, I hungrily devour it alone.

 _"Mythos -_

 _Perhaps I should address you as Prince Siegfried now; it would be more seemly. King, perhaps? But I never could acknowledge my place properly - you still remain Mythos to me._

 _Gold Crown Town is sleepy now, with no fairy tales floating about. There's nothing more than ordinary day-to-day squabbles to upset the peace here, and we never see ravens anymore. Mr. Cat, such as he is, finally has a family of his own - he's the only creature I still see regularly about the town, but especially at the academy. I get the sense that perhaps he remembers his time as a teacher, as much as he hangs about. All the others, they've returned to their own place. Just as it all should be._

 _Just as she wanted._

 _It's a town she would love - that she does love. She follows me almost everywhere, except inside the academy. They wouldn't understand the presence of a duck. But many stop to speak to her, mostly because she's adorable and not afraid of them. They don't remember anything, of course. We can't expect them to - it was only a story to them, after all. But she loves them all the same. Pike and Lilie - well, they still love clumsiness of any sort, and poke at most anyone. But it's obvious that they miss her, even if they don't know it's her that they're missing. She especially makes time and effort for them, even considering that they gave her hell at times._

 _She loves the lake best - that's natural, I suppose. And I love it too. I'm writing this letter here, right now, watching her take a nap next to the dock in the weeds. Most of the time I'm sitting here just jotting story ideas. What about? ... I'll let you know if I hit upon something good. And I'll be careful about writing it. Autor is constantly nagging at me about putting my power to use - I get the idea he's trying to live vicariously through me with it._

 _I think she'd want me to let you know that she misses both you and Rue dearly. Not that I speak duck all of a sudden, but things will never be the same here without your presence. I think she's satisfied, though, that we were able to close the book, so to speak. I don't know about you, but I miss her as she was, even if it was only for the story. Clumsy, obnoxious, nosy - but always cheerful and honest, too. I miss experiencing that side of her. I think she misses herself, too. Sometimes I'll catch her moving oddly in the water, and if I don't say anything and let her go on with it... well, it rather looks like ballet. I think she misses that most._

 _She's awake now - she'll want something to eat in a bit. I'm pretty sure she can take care of herself, but I don't mind sharing my lunch with her. I hope both you and Rue are doing well, wherever your kingdom may be. Even if I don't hear from you... well, maybe I can write a happy ending beyond the happy ending for you two, and pretend it goes like that. I wonder if she'd like that too._

 _All of my best,_  
 _Fakir."_

'A happy ending beyond the happy ending, huh?' I think. It's a thought more worthy of her, than of him.

I miss her too. And every day that I gaze into the crimson eyes of my bride who never stopped loving me, I think of the azure ones of that other princess, who also loved - not only me, but all of the town and all of the story. And my bride smiles, because she's thinking of her too.

True love conquers all.


End file.
